Jazzreporter boldly predicts when they will trade Lauri Markkanen

There has been a lot of buzz lately surrounding the prospect of Utah Jazz trader Lauri Markkanen. There are conflicting reports about whether the Jazz even want to do that. Well, one of the Jazz’s most trusted beat reporters, Andy Larsen, bodily predicted that the Jazz would indeed trade him, while specifying two dates when the trade would occur.

While you’re talking to The Athletic’s Zeita KellyLarsen expressed his belief that Markkanen will be traded, adding that a trade will happen at the trade deadline next February or during the upcoming offseason.

Larsen also made it clear that trading Markkanen wouldn’t be that easy given how much he has come to embrace Utah and that he is too good a player to toil on a non-playoff team like the Jazz. He also made it clear that Utah won’t just let him go and they don’t have to if they don’t get a good enough offer.

What factors can influence a Markkanen transaction?

Larsen’s hypothetical timelines would indicate that the Jazz would give him some time to see how Markkanen fits in with the Jazz’s young roster in the first place. However, if it becomes clear that his prime as a win-now star on a team full of win-later players isn’t a fit, that would be enough to give Utah the green light to trade him.

That’s not the only factor. As the season progresses, teams looking to make their mark will want to land a big fish to help with a potentially strong playoff run. Markkanen isn’t a franchise player, but he is an All-Star who brings a unique set of qualities to a playoff team. If he looks like his old self, teams will not only pay to get him, but may become even more desperate to do so.

Teams shouldn’t be misled by the fact that Markkanen doesn’t have any playoff experience under his belt into thinking that this is a reflection of his impact as a basketball player, because anyone who has seen his ascension knows that is not the case.

Sure, Markkanen had more value when he was underpaid for his services, but he’s a better investment than most players in the NBA. Perhaps the reason Markkanen could be traded in the summer of 2026 is because he’s had a pretty mediocre year and interested prospects might want confirmation that his performance has been the exception to the norm for him.

Therefore, the most important factor in a Markkanen trade is whether he proves he can still play at an All-Star level. If he does that quickly enough, a transaction can happen soon enough.